Do You Hear What I Hear
by Etoile87
Summary: Pretty much everything is about music for Rachel and Jesse, so on their first Christmas in New York, they celebrate as only they know how. Silly St. Berry, with some Klaine thrown in.


**A/N: **Spend your entire six-hour drive home for the holidays listening to Christmas music, and THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS. Totally pointless fluff. Oh, and for the sake of exposition - this story takes place in that happy little world in my head where Rachel, Jesse, Kurt and Blaine all promptly flee Ohio for NYC approximately 2.6 seconds after Glee season 3 concludes. Happy holidays, everyone!

**Disclaimer: **They're not mine. And, to cover the bases, not of the songs are either (I sang several of them, quite horribly, on the New York State Thruway with the windows down yesterday, though!)

**Do You Hear What I Hear**

"Thank GOD it's Friday," Kurt mutters under his breath as he rounds the corner, eager to make it the last hundred yards or so to the building - so he can at least put everything down in the lobby for two seconds to get situated again before climbing the three flights of stairs to their apartment. His messenger bag is packed with books, the result of a long morning spent in the library studying for next week's finals; he's currently juggling two grocery bags; and he's got a couple rolls of wrapping paper under one arm to boot.

As he gets closer to the building, his brow furrows in confusion as he notes that the other three occupants of Apartment 301 are sitting on the front steps in their winter coats, chatting in the early evening light, despite the fact that it's December and not exactly pleasant outside. Blaine immediately hops up to relieve him of one of the grocery bags. Kurt gratefully kisses him on the cheek, dumping the over-stuffed messenger bag on the step with a sigh. Rachel and Jesse are whispering to each other, conspiratorial grins on their faces.

"What are you guys doing out here?" Kurt asks, happy just to sit down for a second.

"I'm looking at the Christmas lights," Blaine explains. Some of the people on this block have already gone a little overboard this first week of December. "And they're ..."

"Do I even want to know?" Kurt mutters. Sometimes with Rachel and Jesse, it's too weird even to be believed.

"They're trying to see how long they can go having a conversation in only Christmas-themed song lyrics."

Yeah. That's a new one, even for them.

"We need a little Christmas," Jesse sing-songs devilishly, fixing his roommates with a challenging look.

"Rachel, you're Jewish," Kurt points out. "And Jesse, you're borderline atheistic. How do you both know that many Christmas songs with enthusiasm?"

Rachel frowns at him for a second, then perks up. "Candles and cards and favorite movie scenes," she says, as though it's an explanation. "The smell of evergreen as special as it's always been."

Blaine laughs. "I think she's trying to say that they appreciate the spirit of the holiday, even if they don't celebrate the religious meaning behind it." Rachel smiles and nods vigorously at him.

Kurt groans. "Don't encourage them."

"It's gonna be a Christmas to remember!" Rachel interjects, tugging playfully on the end of Kurt's scarf.

"You're all going to freeze out here," Kurt says.

"It hasn't snowed a single flurry," Jesse points out.

"I'm dreaming of a white Christmas," Rachel pipes in hopefully.

"I just can't afford the rent on my own if you three die of exposure," Kurt drawls sarcastically.

"Gee, your concern is touching," Blaine teases, kissing him on the cheek. "Come on, Rachel's right. It's our first Christmas all together, in New York. We should celebrate a little."

"I know what I'm want – it's who I'm with!" Rachel chimes in, leaning against her boyfriend as she beams up at her two best friends.

Jesse grins and finishes the line for her. "Extraordinary merry Christmas?"

"I know classes are done, but we can't exactly throw a party this weekend and forget everything else," Kurt points out. "We've all got finals next week."

"You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch!" Rachel trills playfully. Blaine shoots her a look. He knows how to handle Kurt when he's in a crabby mood – which is how his boyfriend usually responds to stress.

"Come on," Blaine says, poking Kurt in the leg. "We're all working too hard. We've got plenty of time left to study - it's not like any of us have been slacking this semester and need to cram. Tonight let's order in, maybe actually decorate the apartment."

"It's time we hung some tinsel," Rachel opines.

"Tomorrow's Saturday. We should get into Manhattan, do a little shopping, maybe even walk through Central Park in the snow if it really comes down overnight like it's supposed to!"

Jesse turns around and looks at Kurt. "In the meadow we can build a snowman," he says with a completely straight face. Rachel collapses against him in peals of laughter.

"This is SO childish," Kurt groans. Right about then, it actually starts to snow, large, wet flakes drifting out of the sky, and he decides he's had enough. He pulls open the door to the building and collects the bags again, tugging on Blaine's hand to follow him.

"Everyone's a kid at Christmastime!" Jesse defends himself to their retreating backs.

"You really need to relax about finals," Blaine says when the door shuts behind them, shaking the snow off his coat in the lobby. Absently, Kurt reaches out to help.

"I'm sorry. It's just … so hard to focus on the holidays yet. The first semester's been a little overwhelming."

"You'll ace it and you know it," Blaine says confidently. Kurt hums a little like he's not entirely convinced, so he cocks one eyebrow at him. "What if I had an idea that would make you chill out at least a little?"

"Hm?"

"We've got the apartment to ourselves til Rachel and Jesse get bored out there, and I already bought marshmallows for the hot chocolate."

" ... Race you up the stairs?"

Back on the front step, Rachel shivers a little – Kurt was right about the cold – and laughs when Jesse pulls her into his lap to huddle closer.

"All I want for Christmas is you," he tells her, the teasing almost entirely absent from his eyes.

She leans in, rubbing her nose against his playfully. "Kiss me, it's beginning to snow." He smiles back at her and complies, the young lovers totally oblivious to the other passers-by in their neighborhood for a long moment while the snow swirls around them.

When they finally break apart, he smirks at her.

"That's not a Christmas song, Rachel."

"It has holiday themes! And you just broke character!"

"You did first!"

"The entire first act is set on Christmas, Jesse!"

He sighs. "...You know there's only one way to settle this, right?"

"Sing-off. Living room. Five o'clock. Be there."

_Shortly after five o' clock that evening ..._

"Not AGAIN," Kurt sighs.


End file.
